What Is Your Home Base?

Written by: Jorinde Berben
Image credit: Kathleen Demey of fotodeka.be

So you’re in a space where you’re stressed out, uneasy, don’t really know what you’re doing with your life or where you’re going… It’s not a single space either, it’s a feeling that pops up regularly, in my case. A little more often than I’d want (which is never, really, but apparently you can’t turn these things off).

What I need at a time like that is a place, inside, where I actually remember myself, feel like I’m the real me. A place where it’s calm, and safe, and peaceful, and there’s no reason to go anywhere or know what comes next.

I think we all grow up knowing this space, as children. We are born with it, and then we, invariably, lose it. Trying to meet the needs of others, trying to fit in, trying to be part of the group. It’s a survival instinct that hijacks our brain and, with it, our peace of mind. But there’s a way back, and once you know it, you can always find it. (Okay, almost always, sometimes it takes some obstacle-tackling to be able to get through.)

What really helped me find that space again was the book ‘The Power of Now‘ by Eckhart Tolle. It was one of many road pointers along the way, but a big one. Others included: meditation, heart coherence, and the following short exercise:

Get into a meditation position, whichever one you prefer. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, focussing on your breath going in and out. Connect to your heart, or the area around it (don’t worry, there’s no right or wrong here.)
Now, take a moment and ask yourself ‘when do I really feel like myself?’ What am I doing? Where am I? Who am I with? Visualize this moment in your mind and ask yourself ‘What am I feeling at this particular time?’ Are you calm? Or joyful? Are you feeling gratitude? A sense of peace?
Where is this feeling in your body and what’s the physical sensation?
Now there’s your home base. And it’s always there, no matter what’s going on in your life, or in your head. There’s a place inside of you where it’s enough to just be you. It’s more than enough. It’s everything you ever need to be.